[shyheart01]

Hi, I have slipped even further into the slump of fatness and I'm ready to hold my head high again and give it a go at loosing this misery and finding myself in this body that I feel helpless against. I realized today that I haven't been logged in since March 28th and since then, I've went from 200lbs to 224lbs. (my highest weight ever) I'm very disgusted with myself right now and could use any ideas to help with regaining self control and living life again. I have a really hard time at drinking water and getting away from the Mountain Dew. Any suggestions on that?
I'm a single mother of 2 girls (9,7) and 2 boys (4,2) and I have a wonderful fiance that loves me regardless of what I look like. When we got together, I was 166lbs (March will make 3 years together) and since then, I've grown to the Whopper that I am now. With my fiance, I gained 3 soon to be step-kids that are 10,9,8. Two of which we have all the time. All this makes it very hard to get out there and do much as far as exercising and going to the gym. There's always appointments and school functions so finding time to do much of anything else is a task in itself. Any suggestions on home exercises? I feel so lost and not sure what to do. I've never been a big veggie and fruit person. My main eating problems are meat, bread, pasta's and potatoes. Anyone else out there like me?

[Danni Marie]

Hi!

I am new to the site but not new to dieting. I do understand exactly how you feel. I love my meat potatoes, and pastas, I am not much of a snacker, but when meal time comes I can EAT!!!

When reading your post you sounded alot like me, I wanted things that tasted like the things I was "used" to, someone very dear to me hit me with the brick stating "those things are what got me to where I am today" a woman who is over 200lbs .
Dieting...the experts keep telling me.. is more than just loosing weight, it is a "lifestyle" change and with that we need to be open to "change".
I HATE CHANGE.....
With that said, there are some changes that might help you get started that I thought of when I read your post.....Mountain Dew...couple of ideas here...switch to the "diet" version or add lemon and lime to your water, of if you need to start slow you could dilute your current Mt. Dew and ween yourself off...

For the veggies and fruits...are there any that you like? I would start with those, if hunger happens eat the veggies/fruits you do like instead of reaching for something more calorie filled if you need to eat the entire can/bag do it, it will still be less calories than a chocolate bar KWIM?

Exercise..... you may laugh but how I started was on my couch...I would lay on one side and do 20 leg lifts, then I would switch lay on the other side and do 20 more, then I would sit and raise my arms over my head 20 times and every day I said I would do it every commercial so if a program shows for instance 20 commercials look at all the exercise you did not leaving the couch. Dancing was another at home thing I could do, I would crank the stero up and dance around the house for 15 20 mins to start and then I would go longer.... the objective is get you MOVING
worry about toning later much later.
If you need a diet buddy I would love to have one (many buddies) to help us all through this "lifestyle change" in our lives.

KIT
Danni

[shyheart01]

Hi Danni, I would love to be your buddy. I can use all the support that I can get. Getting to the veggie/fruit thing....I can't eat any veggies that aren't cooked (in fat of some sort) I don't eat alot of fruit either, never have. As far as snacking, I don't do it....I just eat A LOT at meal time. Buffet's kill me. Close down Golden Corral and Ryan's and I would be alright in that department lol. I just can't seem to give into the temptations of over eating when I go there. I could avoid going at all if it wasn't for my daughter's Dr. appointments and her yelling in the back seat and begging to stop and eat there since it's her favorite. I'm the horrible mother if we don't stop every 2 weeks. lol I'll be turning 30 the 12th and I feel like I've already hit the middle age spread. I know I would drop about 30lbs in a few months if I could just walk away from the Dew but I've tried to do it and nobody could live with me. I drink a lot in one day. Everyone has said, if you see Jess, you see a Dew. I'm not a gulper, I sip it all day long. I'm going to try to limit it down to 2 starting tomorrow and a week from now, cut it down to 1 and see if it will help me get away from it. I love to get out and exercise, the only problem with that is I never have the time...6 kids seem to suck the life outta things you want or need lol. When I do get the chance, I will take off walking with the baby in the stroller and will walk 4+ miles in about 20-30 minutes. I'll be sweating my butt off but I love it. It gives me time to unwind and I feel so much better afterwards and the next day. I just don't get the time to do it enough. Winter is on it's way which means it will be even harder to get out and walk. I get bored with just plain exercising you can do at home and in the past I have gave up after only a few days. Think I might have to try again and put the mind into it and not just the body. Well, I think I've rambled on enough so until next time, I'll catch ya later and thanks for the reply.

[futuresurferchick]

Originally Posted by shyheart01

I have a really hard time at drinking water and getting away from the Mountain Dew. Any suggestions on that?

Hi, Welcome Back!! Have you considered drinking Diet Mountain Dew? I'm sure it must exist. It's not the ideal of course, and if you're someone concerned about aspartame then I understand. I plan to eventually get rid of my diet coke/pepsi habit. But for now, I like pop and I drink plenty of it, and at least I'm not getting the extra calories.

[somewings]

Hi Jess!

My friend who is a mother of three always told me there are a lot of exercising for a house mom. Like laundry. Lugging laundry for three people down the stairs and up. Vaccumming all over. Dusting. Rearranging furniture. Chasing kids around to get them to school. Two birds with one stone, she says. She makes getting everything in the household running smoothly as her exercise.

As for veggies and fruits, it may be more of an Asian-style of living, but I love them. Try looking for some recipies on Asian veggie dishes. Not the kind you get from the local Chinese resturants though!!

I'm talking about the very fresh green leafy veggies from the Asian markets. Usually inexpensive, and if cooked just clean with some seasme oil and garlic, SWEET. A light, sweet good dish.

I'm serious. I think most people dislike veggies because they're not just cooked well (as I can attest from my college cafe food, ick!)

Maybe instead of a Mountain Dew, you could try a juice frozen with real fruit inside. I like orange juice with mango and strawberries. I put it in a water bottle, set it sideways in the freezer, and lick and drink it during the day. As sweet as soda, but healthier (unless you are diabetic...).

Good luck!

[Danni Marie]

6 kids my 2 drive me crazy and to add 4 more? My hats off to you

Veggies...ah veggies boiled in fat.....yummm...but not so friendly to a womens hips....well there are ways around this as well. All greens collards, turnip, mustard can be cooked with a smoked turkey leg, hot sauce is a free bee so you can add...cornbread can be made with Splenda if ya gotta have it to soak up the green juice. Green beans, butterbeans etc. can all be cooked with smoked turkey leg instead of all the fat from a ham hock or bacon. Try it you will like it. Just use the smoked turkey as you would your other fatty meats.

Fruits, do you like them cooked? You can cook with Splenda and they also make a brown sugar splenda too....sub with applesauce instead of using the oil a reicpe calls for and your desserts are down a few hundred calories..

Ryan's and the Golden Coral....oh no....I have not been to one in about a year...HUGE trigger for me...I do like to EAT and those are places I HAVE to avoid, cuz I will overeat for sure...but they do have some healthy options at both. I am not strong enough to make good choices at either of those places. How about a run through McDonalds when your kids want to go out? You order theirs nothing for you or a McShaker salad and you eat at home. Eating out is HUGE challenge for me some can go and make good choices I CANNOT not at all so I avoid it. If I want to meet friends I need to meet after they ate, I am just too weak to go out an eat

Limiting your Dew sounds like a great start, just think how many calories are in one serving! every time you drink one plus the ones you eat and do you really want all those empty calories??? I try to think like that alot, and sometimes it really helps..gotta run for now get son off to school....we will talk later...

Danni